Rules and Roses

"Lillian!" The dreadful beast bellows, the force of many men dragging him away, bound to iron chains that clang against the cracked concrete below.

"Damian!" The Angel calls back with her arms outstretched, pleading for him to return to her as she is dragged away as well.

The beasts eyes burn a crimson with rage as all he can do is watch as they drag his lover away, her warm brown eyes similar to a doe's as she stares into his. As the folklore goes, demons and angels were to never be together and this is the result, being torn apart from each other by the grappling fists of society.

Good does not belong with bad, they say.

The Angel is their source of happiness while the demon is the source of all things hateful. Who wants anger or sadness anyway? And so, the people have decided to separate them so that the people can have all the happiness to themselves.

The white gown that usually flows gracefully along the angels curves is now whipped around with the forceful hands pulling her every which way, tearing the white seams along the ground.

The demon can feel his heart shatter with the sight of his angels tears flowing along her soft pink cheeks, dripping onto the ground below her.

"My love! Please do not let them take me from you!" The Angel calls out to her 'beast' right before being forced into a carriage that holds only one small window, steel bars forcing it shut.

As the Angel grips the bars so tight that her knuckles turn a ghostly white, she peers between the bars to witness her beast walking onto a stage of some sort.

The citizens hold pitchforks and torches as bright as the panic in the angels soul as she searches for her beloved, her eyes flickering across the crowd.

When she finds him, her heart pangs with dread painfully against her rib cage.

He is being escorted across the stage calling out Lillian's name, where in the middle of the platform is a treacherous contraption where many innocent people have been beheaded.

The angels face grows pale and her soft lips part with sorrow, her eyes growing wide.

"Damian!" She calls out wildly, stretching her arms beyond the bars of steel that hold firm as she sobs for him.

His pointed ears flicker as he can make out her cries beyond the angered comments of citizens, the demons eyes finally finding her arms reaching o to him from the abandoned vehicle.

"My love! It will be okay, I promise!" He shouts to her, tears streaking down his dark skin as he is grabbed forcefully and bent over.

He snarls when he feels a bony elbow digging into his back painfully, pinning his head in place as the wood around his neck is secured.

What hurts him the most is not the elbow nor the near prediction of his death, but his angels cries of agony.

From the vehicle, the angels watches in panic and desperation as the men slowly crank the wheel, as if in a mocking gesture, until the giant sharp blade reaches the very top.

Above all the hoots and hollers of excitement, the angels shouts from deep within herself, "Do not do this! Please! Let me take his place!"

The Angel goes silent for a moment when she meets the gaze of her lover.

He stares directly at his, his eyes softened and his mouth formed into a sad, yet comforting smile.

The Angels tears are silent as he mouths, "It's okay. I'll always love you."

The angels hands wrap around the steel bars in an attempt to pry them open, the lever already pulled and the blade swings down upon his head.

There is a moment of silence before there are booming cheers echoing across the valley.

But not nearly as loud enough to cover the angels agonizing screams and sobs when she bangs against the door of the vehicle.

But it is no use.

The people have broken their Angel, their happiness.

The people do not understand that there is no happiness if there is no sadness or anger to compliment it.

Without the variety, happiness is just a dull light.

The Angel slinks down into a miserable ball on the floor, the glimmer in her brown eyes fading as the bright glow around her dainty body grows dim with sorrow.